Egg carton



Feb. 20, 1934. WALSH 1,948,322

EGG CARTON Filed April 2, 1932 2 Sheets-sheaf 1 Feb. 20, 1934. J. E. WALSH 1,948,322

EGG CARTON Filed April 2, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 20, 1934 v UNITED STATES EGG CARTON John E. Walsh, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Self- Locking Carton Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application April 2, 1932. Serial No. 602,659

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to cellular cartons, and has particular reference to improvements in egg cartons of the type described in United States Patent No. 927,488.,

A primary object of the invention is to 'provide an egg carton having a low front wall, yet being sturdy and capable of use in the usual manner without damage resulting to the egg.

An additional object is the provision of a carton which affords an excellent display of eggs contained therein.

Still another object is to provide an egg carton of the type described, having a particularly sturdy and cushioned bottom.

A further object is the construction of an egg carton having a low front wall and means for preventing undue inward displacement of the vertical portion of the cover which extends downwardly adjacent the front wall.

These and other objects will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and by reference to the accompanying drawings,

in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an erected egg carton made in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along lines 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail of the end of the carton shown in Fig. 1

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a partial side view of the carton shown in Fig. 1 and having its cover closed;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along lines 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a bottom view of a portion of the carton shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a view of the cardboard blank from which the carton shown in Fig. 1 is erected;

Fig. 9 is a view of the centerboard or longitudinal portion for the carton; and

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a portion of the carton, and shows a modified form of the cross partition structure of the carton.

The carton is constructed by cutting, scoring, and folding a blank sheet of cardboard or similar material, forming, in the order named, locking hooks 1, a locking strip 2, a horizontal cover 3, a rear wall 4, a bottom 5, a front wall 6, cross partitions 7, and a gluing strip 8. A transverse scoring defines the limits of each of these elements of the blank, whereby the blank may be folded into a complete carton.

To assemble the carton, the blank is folded along the scoring between the bottom 5 and the front wall 6, and the gluing strip 8 is secured to the back wall 4.

Erection of the carton is effected by distending the collapsed blank until the front and rear walls assume a substantially vertical position. A separate longitudinal partition member 9 having cutout openings 10 corresponding to the transverse portions 7 and forming a series of legs 11 is then pressed against the transverse partitions causing them to assume a vertical position. The intermediate legs of the longitudinal partition or centerboard are provided with feet or lugs 12 having extensions 13 which project into the openings 10, as shown in Fig. 9, and seats 14. The end legs 11 face inwardly and are provided with hooks 15.

Other of the legs, preferably in the center of the partition, may also be provided with hooks or projections of this type.

In pressing the centerboard downwardly into the carton, the openings 10 cooperate with corresponding openings 16 in the cross partitions 7 to determine the distance the centerboard may be depressed and to form an interlock which maintains the cross partitions in erect position. When in proper position, the hooks 15 on the cross partitions interlock with openings 17 in the cross partitions.

The bottom of the carton is provided with a series of openings 18 of such size as to permit the lugs 12 of the centerboard to be depressed therethrough. Extending into the openings 18 are small projections 19. As the lugs 12 are depressed through the openings 18, the projections 19 bend downwardly to a certain extent and press the lugs outwardly into the open space beyond the projections. When the centerboard has been depressed until the seats 14 rest against the bottom of the carton, the centerboard is moved in a longitudinal direction toward the end of the carton to which the extensions 13 are directed. These extensions pass under the bottom of the box, and

the rear wall of lugs 12 rest against projections 19, to form an interlock. It is desirable to cut the bottom of the box as shown in Figs. 1, 6, '7, 8 and 10 to form semi-circular tabs 20 adjacent the ends of the carton. These tabs may be bent into vertical position to limit the outward movement'of the end cross partitions.

Theblank is cut in such a manner that when the cartori is erected, the front and rear walls are provided with downwardly extending feet 21 which form a cushion for the bottom of the carton, as described in Patent, No. 927,488. I have found that a stronger box and a better cushion is obtained by making the lugs 12 of substantially the same height as the members 21.

Heretofore it has been customary in cartons of the type described to provide a front wall which differs in height from the rear wall an amount corresponding to the width of the gluing strip, and, as shown in Patents, Nos. 927,488 and 1,115,476, the cross partition is of the same height as the front wall. To close a carton of this type the locking strip is bent downwardly and by bending the cover upwardly in its center the cover locking hooks are inserted beneath the triangular hinge portions, numbered 22 in the present drawings, by which the cross partitions are secured to the front wall. The height of the front wall of these prior art boxes prevented an effective display of eggs, and any further reduction in the height of the front wall weakens the carton and increases the danger of egg breakage.

In accordance with my invention, the front wall of the carton is substantially lowered without weaken ng the box structure. As shown in the drawings, the blank is cut to provide a low front wall 6. The cross partitions 7, however, are made higher than the front wall and are hinged thereto at an intermediate point by the integral triangular portions 23. It is necessary that the width of the locking strip 2 be increased in proportion to the decrease in the height of the front wall, whereby when the cover is closed the dimension of the front wall and locking strip will equal that of the rear wall. A wide, or, when the cover is closed, high cover locking strip may easily be pressed inwardly, and in use of the carton this increases the liability of breakage. I

have found that the carton blank may be cut in such a manner that the portions of the cross partitions extending above the front wall are provided with outwardly extending projections 24 which extend adjacent the closed cover locking strip, thereby forming an efiective brace which limits the inward movement of the locking strip. In this manner the front wall may be reduced in height to any desired extent without reducing the stability and protective efiiciency of the carton. With a low front wall and cut-away portions in the centerboard, an eifective display of eggs is obtained when the cover is opened as in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 10 is shown a modification in which the blank is cut to form a vertical wall 24 in the upwardly extending portion of the partition, and an outward extension 25.

Many variations of the above described structure will occur to one skilled in the art, and such modifications as come within the spirit of my invention are intended to be included in the ap pended claim.

I claim.

A carton formed of a blank out, scored, and folded to form cover locking hooks, a cover looking strip, a cover, a rear wall, a bottom, a front wall of substantially less height than said rear wall, cross partitions, and a gluing strip, said gluing strip being folded over and secured to the rear wall, and said cross partitions being hinged to the front wall at a point intermediate their upper and lower portions, the upper portions of said partitions extending outwardly adjacent the plane of the front wall.

JOHN E. WALSH. 

